Bushfire
by Lady Willamina
Summary: Merlin and Arthur get trapped in a ferocious bushfire while on a hunt. Can Merlin defeat the most powerful adversary of them all, Mother Nature? No slash. Set during Season 2.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N There are lots of stories about Christmas, snow and winter around at the moment. In the Southern hemisphere however, Christmas means summer and heat. These in turn, can lead to bushfires.  
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Summary: Merlin and Arthur get trapped in a ferocious bushfire while on a hunt. Can Merlin defeat the most powerful adversary of them all, Mother Nature?

* * *

><p>The heat was overwhelming, pushing them back with its ferocity. The strong gusty wind provided oxygen to the rapidly moving furnace, much like the bellows to the blacksmith's fire.<p>

"We can't outrun it for much longer Merlin!" Arthur shouted at his servant. "Make for the stream at the base of the valley, it's our only hope!"

Merlin nodded and kept going; he had no spare breath for talking anyway.

* * *

><p>The day had started off relatively normally, with no indication of the horror awaiting them. Arthur awoke first as he often did when they were sleeping under the stars. The sun was already giving out a considerable amount of heat for the early hour.<p>

Two days ago Arthur had declared a sudden desire to go hunting. Merlin suspected it was more a need to escape his father than a genuine wish to pursue innocent animals. The current drought afflicting Camelot had caused many types of food to become scarce, which in turn had pushed up their price. While this wasn't a problem for the royal household, it was causing severe hardship for many of the poorer inhabitants of Camelot. Arthur had spent the last 10 days arguing with the Council about subsidizing the cost of many basic food stuffs so they would be affordable to every person, regardless of class.  
>It was fair to say that the Prince held greatly differing views to Uther and most of the other Councillors on the subject.<p>

Unfortunately, he wasn't having a much better time of things beyond the confining bounds of the castle either. It had been one of the most unsuccessful hunts that the Prince had ever undertaken. In two whole days he'd caught nothing - not even a pheasant. As a result, he was more than a little tetchy.

Conversely, Merlin was quite pleased at the lack of kills. He would never understand the need to murder defenceless animals for fun and he had made sure his clumsiness and inability to keep quiet put paid to pretty much every opportunity Arthur had to make a kill.

"Come on Merlin, wake up!" Arthur threw his boot across the remains of the campfire so that it landed with a loud clump right next to his servants head.

"Ok, I'm moving," came the mumbled response from Merlin. He was not unused to such brutal methods of communication from the Prince, so did not take it to heart. He had no doubt that Arthur could have launched the boot onto his head if he wanted to, so he should be grateful he supposed.

"I won't return to Camelot empty handed, now get up!"

"Oh all right, I'm moving." Merlin grumbled back. He couldn't help but notice that despite his insistence that his servant get up, Arthur himself was still reclining, letting out a big yawn.

_Prat._

"It's too hot for any self respecting animal to be out foraging Arthur, why don't we just admit defeat and go home." Merlin's put on his best whiny voice for Arthur's benefit.

In hindsight, a bad choice of words. Prince Arthur and defeat were two concepts that did not go hand in hand.

Arthur was on his feet in a matter of seconds and glared down at the still sleepy Merlin. "Yes it's hot Merlin and that's precisely why we have to move quickly. We'll only have a couple of hours before all my likely prey takes refuge from the heat."

Merlin dragged himself to a standing position and moved to get them some food.

"If you weren't so noisy and incompetent I would have gotten that magnificent stag yesterday morning and we'd be back at Camelot by now."

Merlin couldn't help but grin at the memory of the usually nimble footed and stealthy Arthur standing on and splintering a sizable branch with a very loud crack, just at the moment when he fired his cross bow. The stag had just enough warning to break into a life saving dash, avoiding the cross bow bolt by a matter of inches.

A short while later after a bite to eat and drink the two set off again, Merlin grumbling and groaning about how unfair it was that he had to carry all the gear.  
>They'd decided to hunt on foot, leaving the horses stabled at a small settlement about half a day's solid ride from their departure point.<p>

It had just reached the sun's zenith the first time they smelt smoke. Neither man was worried at first as they assumed it was a camp or cooking fire.

The summer that year had been exceedingly hot and dry. Even Gaius and Geoffrey of Monmouth couldn't remember a hotter summer. As a result the forests around Camelot were parched, the trees brittle. Many of the plant life had withered and died, their shallow roots unable to provide them with any life sustaining water. Desiccated grasses, dead branches and leaves covered the ground. Many of the smaller waterways had dried up and the larger creeks and rivers were all at lower levels than anyone could recall.

A warm wind was blowing up dust and debris into Merlin and Arthur's faces as they paused for another drink break in the shade of a small copse of trees.

"I've never seen it so dry." Arthur remarked, staring around himself. "Little wonder the peasants are suffering."

Merlin concurred wordlessly. It was evident that the animals of the forest were struggling in the harsh conditions too. They'd already seen several half rotten corpses on their journey and any live beast they had glimpsed looked skinny and sickly. Quite why Arthur thought it would be an achievement to catch one of these poor suffering creatures was beyond him.

After a short while it became obvious that the smoky smell wasn't going away and in fact was getting stronger. The possibilities were becoming more than a little concerning to Arthur. He had spent many days and nights outdoors during various hunts, quests, patrols etc. and during this time had attained considerable knowledge of the bushland.

"I have a feeling that smoke might be coming from more than a cooking fire Merlin. We better find some high ground and take a look."

Merlin's face fell, "What do you mean?"

"Well, it may not be anything that will endanger us," the Prince began in his calmest voice, "But it could be a grassfire or wildfire or something." The last thing he needed was a panicked Merlin to deal with, so Arthur had done his best to play things down. He had learned during his life time as Prince and thus a person with authority, that if he acted like everything was under control, his followers would respond accordingly. _Much like horses really._

Merlin was staring at him wide eyed. He didn't want Arthur to know how scared he was at that possibility so he just nodded in what he hoped was a wise way.

Arthur strode off confidently towards the nearest hill which was only about 10 minutes walk away, Merlin trailing after him dutifully.

The view from the top of the hill was worse than either man imagined. A fire front stretching almost continuously from the south west right around to the north east lit up the forest, bellowing huge clouds of smoke and embers.

"God save us!" Arthur cursed under his breath. Merlin unconsciously edged a bit closer to his Prince, the calamity of the inferno making him feel puny and powerless.

A small flock of birds flew over their heads away from the fire, squawking loudly in warning. Merlin swallowed and looked toward Arthur for guidance. Just then, a group of 5 or 6 deer bolted out of the tree line below them and ran in panic past the two men as though confirming the seriousness of the situation.

"What do we do now? That looks far too close for comfort."

"Put that stuff down for a start." Arthur gestured towards the extra gear Merlin was lugging around. "Keep the blankets and water skins only Merlin. We'll make for the north west; the Lake of Denaria should provide safe refuge." Arthur took the water skin and one bedroll from his servant then set off, his long strides covering ground quickly.

They both wore only linen tunics, having divested themselves of any coats long ago. Merlin still carried the garments within the bedrolls though. He quickly dumped Arthur's crossbow, arrows, cooking stuff and rearranged what was left of his load, and then set off at a run after Arthur.

The air was becoming unpleasantly grainy with smoke and numerous embers floated along over their heads, starting small spot fires all around them. Animals fleeing the conflagration sprinted past every few minutes, desperation clear in their harried movements. The two men kept moving as fast as they could, but the smoke was making it difficult to get enough air.

"Come on Merlin, keep up!" Arthur urged his friend. "The fire front is probably still leagues away, but we need to get to safety." He knew that a fire this big would be creating its own wind, increasing its rate of progress through the tinder dry forestlands.

The situation was rapidly becoming extremely perilous for the two men. This was further driven home when a bird dropped out of the sky, landing dead only a few paces in front of them. It did not appear scorched so it was probably a combination of lack of oxygen and latent heat created in the hellish flames that caused the birds demise.

Merlin knew he was running for his life. He wracked his panicked brain for a way to save himself and Arthur without being extremely obvious that he was using his magical abilities. Creating a whirlwind to divert the brutal inferno was a last resort. It would take a tremendous amount of his power to shield them from something containing this much energy and it would be pretty much impossible not to reveal his secret, carrying out such a spell. If he could get to water, it may be possible to create some sort of fire-proof barrier around them.

Arthur ran ahead of him, turning his head every few minutes to ensure Merlin was still behind him. Through the ever thickening smoke Merlin could still make out Arthur's blue eyes staring back at him, wide open with fear.

It was during one of these backward glances that Merlin's inescapable clumsiness revealed itself yet again, the young Warlock landing heavily on the ground after tripping over a prostrate branch that was just that little bit wider than he'd thought. As he lay gasping in the smoke laden air, momentarily stunned by his fall, he saw the sky above suddenly turn black.

"Gods Merlin, you idiot". Arthur ceased his onwards momentum and returned to his fallen servant as quickly as he could. There was no way he was going to leave the boy behind, even if he had to sling him over his shoulder and carry him out!

As he crouched down beside Merlin to check he was alright, he too witnessed the darkness closing in above them. They both new what the proximity of the thick, malevolent, cloud meant; that the fire was extremely, uncomfortably close.

"We can't outrun it for much longer Merlin!" Arthur shouted at his servant. "Make for the stream at the base of the valley, it's our only hope!"

Merlin nodded and kept going; he had no spare breath for talking anyway.

The heat was becoming unbearable, further indicating how close the fire front was. Visibility was down to a few horse lengths, which combined with fear and panic was making it hard to stay oriented. Fortunately, it was still clear which way was downhill, and the two young men ran for their lives into the valley below them, desperate that there'd be some water in the stream at its base.

The thought in the back of both their minds was how dry many of the other waterways had been, and that the presence of water in this particular stream may be the difference between life and death.

**A/N** **Well, are you worried? Did all that talk of summer and heat make the people in**** wintery countries feel warmer? Please review and let me now.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N I have narrowed down the time this story takes place to between 'The Once and Future Queen' and 'The Nightmare Begins'. Kilgarrah is still imprisoned, Arthur has blossoming feelings for Gwen and Morgana is not evil yet.  
>Disclaimer: All characters belong to the BBC and Shine.<strong>

Bushfire. Chapter 2

Fear pushed the two young men onwards down the hill, their feet sliding and stumbling in panic. The noise of the fire was getting louder and louder as it picked up momentum going downhill, until it sounded like the very flames of hell were almost upon them. Every now and then a sharp explosion could be heard above the general noise of the conflagration as a tree's sap heated up beyond boiling point, the bark no longer able to contain the pressure build up.

In an effort to control his escalating fear and panic Merlin concentrated on one thing - keeping Arthur within an arm span of himself. He trusted his Prince's instincts completely and if anyone could guide them to some semblance of safety it was him.

"Merlin, I see the creek bed, stay with me!" Arthur shouted over his shoulder.

"I'm right here, don't worry." Merlin shouted back. He wasn't sure if Arthur had even heard him above all the noise.

The sight of the stream did little to ease the boys fears. It was not much more than a trickle.

Arthur swore loudly, coughing in the smoke laden air. Thoughts of his father, Gwen, Morgana and never seeing anything he loved again flashed through his mind. What would his father do if he died? Who would be the next ruler of Camelot? He had so many hopes and aspirations for the future; the type of King he waned to be and how he coud improve life for all of Camelots inhabitants.  
>There was no way he was going to give up yet!<p>

"Keep going down stream Merlin, there may be deeper pools."

Merlin struggled on, this time he was in the lead. "It's right behind us Arthur, I don't think there's time."

Suddenly Merlin was on his knees again. But this time it wasn't due to him being a clutz, he had lost his footing in the knee high pool of water he'd just stumbled into!

"Merlin, you wonderful, clumsy idiot!" Arthur couldn't help the spike of hope he felt at that moment, and splashed down beside his servant with a short laugh. Merlin gave a half smile at Arthur's words of praise. _Funny how the_ _prat only ever said nice things to him when they were about to die._

With shaking hands Arthur pulled off his own pack and then tugged Merlin's bedroll from his shoulder.

"Soak the blankets in water, then we can huddle under them. My suede jacket too."

Arthur was doing his best to sound authoritative but his voice came out shaky with fear and raspy due to the grime he had inhaled.

He had automatically assumed the role of commander much earlier in the day and as such, felt it was his duty to protect those in his care. He had a lot of experience in the horrors of meeting an enemy in battle- and this is how Arthur unconsciously chose to deal with the situation at hand. If he had any chance of staying in control he needed to think of that hideous fire, which was devouring all in its path, as another adversary to be faced and defeated.

"I don't know that it's deep enough Arthur," Merlin replied as he continued his struggle with the woolen blankets.

Arthur glanced at his friend huddled beside him. The boy didn't have his training or background and although he had shown his undoubted courage before, he could not expect him to be much more than the trembling wreck he appeared to be.

"Merlin, it's okay to be scared." Arthur spoke to his friend, in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. "We'll get through this together."

Merlin was indeed scared but not only because of the rapidly approaching flames. It was becoming obvious that he was going to have to call upon his magic, if they were to have any chance of survival. The idea of revealing himself to the Prince and the resulting fallout was something Merlin had dwelt upon many times before. If Arthur rejected him for what he truly was, he didn't think he'd be able to go on. It seemed a rather unpleasant irony to him that the conditions he faced right now were probably much like those a convicted sorcerer would face when condemned to being burnt at the stake.

He gave Arthur a half grimace /smile, "Arthur. If this goes wrong..."

"Qiuet Merlin, save your breath. Get down as low as you can."

As the oppressing heat and noise grew, the orange light of the flames were suddenly all around them. It was now or never.

Merlin made sure his face was not in Arthur's line of vision as he incanted a spell as quietly as he could, his eyes flashing to gold. Although they couldn't see it from under their woolen canopy, water around them was suddenly propelled upwards into a fountain like spray that completely encased the lump that was Merlin and Arthur. The strength of the fire was massive though and whether the watery shield he'd created would be enough of a barrier to stop it's path of destruction, Merlin wasn't sure.

Time seemed to have slowed down as the two men sat crouched in their muddy haven. The energy Merlin was expending to maintain the protective shield wouldn't usually be a problem, but since he'd spent the last few hours running in an adrenaline fueled terror, he began to feel extremely drained after only a minute or so. It took all his willpower to keep the spell active for another few minutes.

After several minutes, that felt more like a half an hour to Merlin, the noise and heat finally began to recede and the eerie orange light had dissipated. Arthur finally spoke, "I don't know what that prayer was you uttered Merlin, but I think your deity obliged."

Arthur started laughing and jumped to his feet, causing the blankets to fall aside.

"We made it Merlin, we're alive!"

Merlin stared first at Arthur, then at the surrounding forest. Was he going to say something about the magic or had he gotten away with it? It had been awfully noisy and it's not like Arthur would've recognized the language he had used in his incantation.

Merlin slowly stood up, still somewhat dizzy from his exhaustive efforts and gazed at the destruction all around them. Everything was blackened and dead, except for a few remaining glowing embers here and there. He sucked in a few breaths, hoping Arthur wouldn't notice how tired out he was.

"Merlin, in case it has escaped your notice, we're alive! Try to look a little relieved will you!"

Yep, he was safe, in more ways than one. The amount of times the Crown Prince failed to notice what was happening right in front of him was unbelievably fortuitous sometimes. Perhaps this 'magic blindness' was all part of their destiny? Whatever the case, Merlin felt relief flood through his body in a rapid wave. He hadn't realised just how tensed his back and shoulder muscles were till he relaxed.

Merlin grinned widely, "Yeah, can't believe we got away with it Sire!"

Arthur punched Merlin's arm, hard, to show how happy he was, his entire face lit up with delight. Why he couldn't show affection in more normal, less painful ways, was a reoccurring predicament to Merlin.  
>He returned Arthur's disguised compliment with a pained, "Ouch! Yes, I'm glad your alive too Arthur."<p>

The surrounding ground and what was left of the trees, were still radiating relentless heat and the smoke remained unpleasantly thick. Two pheasants who'd used the stream for shelter too, took off suddenly as a loud crash of thunder echoed through the sky. Merlin's gaze swept upwards and he wondered if a lightening strike was what started the fire in the first place.

"If that gathering storm breaks, it might be enough to stop this monstrosity. Can't think of anything human kind could do to halt such a massive fire front." Arthur mused out loud, his gaze too turning skyward.

Merlin nodded in reply, thinking about all the animals who had lost their lives and homes. Maybe even people.

"Do you know where we are exactly Arthur? Are there any villages nearby?"

"Well, if I've got my bearings right, following this valley should take us to Haldor. But i'm not sure how faraway it is." The smoke, darkness, fear and the inability to see further in front of himself than a few body lengths during their flight had disoriented the Prince more than he wanted to admit.

"I hope the fire didn't go that way. The villagers wouldn't have stood a chance." Merlin looked at Arthur as he spoke, noting how dirty and bedraggled he was; hair wet, mud and charoal deposits coating most of the exposed skin of his face, neck and arms as well as large areas of his clothing. He supposed he looked much the same.

The stream was rather muddied up by now, but Merlin searched for an area that was still running clear so that he could fill the water skins. Who knew how far or for how long they'd have to walk before they found help.

As they set off again, another loud rumble filled the air as the thunder storm continued to brew.

**A/N Well, they survived the fire but what now? Will anyone come to their aid? How will they survive in a burnt out forest?**


	3. Chapter 3

Bushfire 3

The smoking ruins of trees were all that was left standing in what had once been green, thriving forest. It was as though a huge evil force had blasted the entire area, leaving only blackened ruins and death in its wake. Surely something was still alive? Maybe a cave or a burrow of some kind would have provided a bolt hole? Looking around, Merlin had very little hope that anything much could've survived.

As the smoke finally started to clear a little, the Crown Prince and his servant could see the dark grey clouds that had rolled in with the thunderstorm. Both men hoped with all their hearts that they would soon produce rain in volume enough to douse the fire storm.

A short while ago Arthur decided they should head in the direction he thought would lead them to the nearest village. Merlin only had enough energy left to follow silently behind him. Whether they'd find assistance or would have to offer it, they weren't sure.

The two walked in stunned silence for some time, taking in the scale of the destruction the bushfire had left.

"They must have seen all the smoke from Camelot Merlin. I'm sure father will send out patrols to help the people." Arthur spoke, pre-empting one of Merlin's unspoken questions. "The affected areas will need food, shelter and water. Good knows how many injuries there have been."

They both knew however, that any help from Camelot would take days to get this far. For now, they had to help themselves.

Merlin's exhaustion was causing him to trip and lose his footing more and more frequently. His vision was starting to get blurry and the darkening skies were not helping his progress. Arthur noticed his young friends struggle behind him.

"Merlin, are you alright? You're making hard work of it back there."

Merlin stopped and took a few deep breaths.

"Just tired. Well, more than tired really." He scrubbed at his eyes trying to get some of the grittiness out.

"I know. It's been a heck of a day. We'll have to stop soon; it's getting too dark anyway."

Merlin stopped gratefully, leaning forward with his hands propped against his knees. Every part of him was aching for a rest. He couldn't catch his breath properly since he'd been in that horrible smoky air. His head was throbbing the way it always did after he'd performed intense magic, an unpleasant squeezing sensation beginning where the spine met the skull and spreading like a knotted rope up the back of his head. What he needed was cool drink and about 12 hours sleep. Arthur must be exhausted too, not that he'd ever admit it.

As Arthur watched his friend for a few minutes he realized just how much distress he was in.

"Here's as good a place as any to stop Merlin," he announced.

Merlin all but fell over, coughing as he hit the ground.

Although their clothes had almost dried, the bedrolls were still damp and unusable. They had no food and there was little likelihood of finding anything edible in the surrounds.

"Merlin, you're shaking. You're more than just tired. Why didn't you tell me to stop earlier?"

"Like you would have listened." Merlin mumbled. "I'll be okay after a rest."

"I hope so. I don't want to have to carry you," Arthur replied, frowning as he examined his servant more closely.

"I'm sure you're heavier than you look," he continued, trying to make light of the situation. Privately, the Prince was actually quite concerned for his companion. Under all the soot and dirt he could see how grey and pale Merlin looked and he appeared to be struggling somewhat to breath.

"Have a drink Merlin." Arthur pushed the water skin toward him noticing that his usual cheery, bright countenance was completely replaced by a grimace of suffering.

Merlin took a few mouthfuls of the water offered him.

"Thanks."

The lack of mindless chatter was a further pointer to Arthur that Merlin felt worse than he was letting on.

Another clap of lightening and deep rumble of thunder sounded overhead, and then it finally started to rain. Earlier on in the day, this would have been a godsend, but right now it just added further to their miserable state. Hopefully, it was pouring down where it was needed most; upon the ferocious fire front.

The two men were leaning with their backs to a tree stump; the ground was hard and unforgiving beneath them. Merlin unrolled his, still damp, bedroll and with somewhat shaky hands arranged it over himself to provide shelter.

Arthur pulled out his suede jacket," Here, use this Merlin. It's drier than the blankets, they won't help any in the state they're in."

"No, this is fine."

"Merlin, don't argue with me. I'm the Prince, I give the orders." Arthur said in his imperious voice for full effect. "Besides, you need it more than I do. You're shaking like a leaf," he continued after a pause, his tone softening considerably so it was obvious that his primary concern was actually the welfare of his friend.

"I'm only the servant Sire. Surely my comfort isn't of consideration?" Merlin replied, taunting Arthur a little.

"Well, it is to me. Now shut up get some sleep Merlin. We can't go any further tonight anyway."Merlin smiled to himself at Arthur's words. He knew the Crown Prince really did feel concerned for him, but he had to show it in that non-caring, superior way of his, as though he was afraid his princeliness and perhaps even his masculinity would be brought into question if he dared display these emotions up front.

Despite it being wet, extremely uncomfortable and they'd had nothing to eat since breakfast, Merlin fell into a deep sleep almost straight away. Arthur stayed awake; to keep watch he told himself. Truthfully, he was too anxious and discomforted to let his mind fall into a peaceful oblivion. The rain had gotten heavier so he was pretty much saturated, especially since he'd given what cover they had to Merlin. He was running through options in his head, just as his military training had taught him. Trouble was, there really weren't many options to choose from:

1. Walk toward the nearest village and hope they meet someone capable of giving them help.

2. Walk towards Camelot and hope they come across a patrol.

3. Stay here and wait for help to arrive.

He discarded 2 and 3 as too unlikely and too pathetic, respectively. It would probably be determined by how Merlin was by morning anyway. Unlike his knights, the skinny creature had no reserves of energy to call on. Arthur made a mental note to do something about it when they got home again.

He was just starting to nod off, his head lolling forwards in pure exhaustion as he saw a light in the distance. It wasn't moving very quickly or in a straight line but it was definitely coming closer to their position. Arthur jumped to his feet, wide-awake again in an instant. He had reached instinctively for his sword before remembering they'd dumped it yesterday, along with almost everything else when they first started their run from the bushfire.

"Merlin, wake up, somebody's coming." Arthur hissed down at his man servant. Merlin did not respond so Arthur bent to shake his shoulder. "Wake up! We may need to run!" Merlin stirred slightly, barely opening his eyes. He mumbled rather incoherently that they were in no danger and that he was too tired, then appeared to fall asleep again.

Meanwhile the light, which could only be a person (or people) holding up a torch was very close to them.

"I'll be the one to decide if we're in danger Merlin, now move!" Arthur kicked softly at his friend in a last ditch effort to get him to stir. He was on the verge of putting him over his shoulder and running, when he heard a gentle but firm shout from the approaching group.

"Do not be afraid. We are here to assist!"

"Who are you?" Arthur questioned, using his most authoritative voice. "Are you from the village of Haldor?"

He received no reply until the group had come to within a body length of him and Merlin. The leading figure, covered by a large tatty, hooded cloak, pointed to Merlin then gestured to the two people behind him. "That's him. Carefully pick him up."

Arthur's defensive instincts kicked in and he moved a quick as a flash to situate himself between the helpless form of his friend and the two strangers. "What are you doing? Leave him alone!" He shouted at them.

The leader of the band pulled his hood back to reveal his face. He was late middle aged, with shoulder length pale hair. His face was covered in lines that only years of knowledge and experience could provide. His overall countenance was that of a wise and benevolent leader. He carried a long, stout staff in his right-hand, which has some sort of decorative stone Arthur couldn't quite make out in the bad light.

The other men in the group stopped and looked toward their leader, then pushed back their hoods too, revealing the same calm expressions on their faces.

"Do not fret young man. We only wish to help your friend." Arthur realized from the clothes the group wore that they were Druids.

"You're Druids?"

The elder statesman gave a minute nod of his head acknowledgment. "My name is Weylyn. Our group have taken shelter in a cave, not far from here. We must help the young man. If you give us permission?"

Merlin needed some sort of help, certainly more than he could offer. His father despised all Druids as evil due to their free use of magic and had schooled Arthur accordingly. But he wasn't stuck in this burnt out hell hole with no food and very little water, was he?

There was not much choice really. Arthur let his shoulders slump as he relented, "Ok, let's go."

**A/N** **Will Arthur wish he hadn't put his trust in the Druids? Will anyone from Camelot find our two heroes? Do you care what happens? Please review and tell me your thought. Thanks.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N I picture Weylyn as a kind of mix between Talisen and Anhora. All knowing but definitely kindly.  
>This seems to be a very long chapter, but not alot of it is action. Sorry!<br>I hope all you Merlin fans had a great Christmas with lots of nice presents and that none of the people from Europe, northern parts of USA, Canada or Scandinavia got too cold!**

The cave system, in which the druids had taken refuge from the fire, was about half an hour's walk further down the valley. Merlin had been all but carried by Weylyn's two followers, as in his only partly conscious state he was unable to walk unaided. Arthur was extremely reluctant to let the druids close to his man servant at first, but after observing their care and gentleness when helping him to his feet, he allowed himself to relax slightly.

As he followed the druids into their cave, Arthur noticed several children and adults of all ages. He estimated around 18 to 20, although it was hard to count properly as people were moving from the main cavern they had just entered, into a couple of other joined caves and vice versa. Two of the women were preparing food over a fire pit as a couple of children ran past, absorbed in their game of tag.

The Crown Prince felt many sets of eyes on him as he studied the layout of the encampment, his training kicking in again as he quickly summed up exits, possible escape routes and the number and type of weapons (or lack thereof in this case) available if he should need them.

A woman not much younger than Weylyn approached them. She wore a drab coloured, loose fitting, unflattering garment and had scraggy, grey unkempt hair. Her name was Edris and her natural gift of prophecy gave her little interest in her own comfort or appearance; a mortal individual such as herself seemed extremely minute and unimportant when one could see beyond time and distance.

"This is him. As was foreseen he requires our help", she announced after briefly studying the two non druids who had entered their enclave.

The two men bearing Merlin continued through to an inner cave, Arthur following close behind.

"Where are you taking him? You're not doing anything to him unless I say so!" Arthur shouted. Things were getting out of his control and he didn't like it. Why were they acting like they knew his servant or that he was somebody they knew?

"We will care for your companion. He is as important to us as he is to you. Our healer will see he recovers from the ordeal." The druid leader's voice was calm and smooth, his tones radiating a reassurance that Arthur found himself oddly compelled by.

Merlin was gently placed onto a pile of blankets and animal pelts, and a young girl came forward to kneel over him. Arthur supposed she was the so called 'Healer', although he doubted how such a young person could have attained enough knowledge to be useful. She began her examination of Merlin by doing things that Arthur had witnessed Gaius perform many times; listening to his heart, assessing his breathing, and pulling down his lower eyelids to check his colour. Then she helped him drink from a vial which she took out of a leather pouch, hung at her belt. Arthur couldn't quite understand why he was letting this stranger so close to his friend and why he trusted that the potion she administered would not harm him. After a few minutes she quietly told Arthur that his friend needed rest and that he would be fine by morning.

"Arthur, stop thinking so hard, you'll do yourself some damage." It was the first clear words he'd heard from his servant for some time and he crouched down next to Merlin in relief.

"You must be feeling a little better?"

"Yeah. Still tired, but my head aches gone." Merlin answered him.

"Well, you certainly look better. Whatever was in that potion has certainly done something for you."

Merlin had closed his eyes again, nodding his agreement. "You should rest too Arthur. We're safe here don't worry."

_That's what he said as the druids first reached them_, Arthur thought as he looked down at the invitingly comfortable pile of skins next to Merlin. He wasn't sure why, but somehow he knew that what Merlin said was true.

From a very young age Uther Pendragon's son had been taught that as users of sorcery, druids were evil, treacherous and never to be trusted. Yet here he was in their territory, completely surrounded by them and although he did feel out of place, he did not feel as though he or Merlin were in any danger from these people. Perhaps it was because he was so bloody tired. The Pendragon part of him dimly wondered if they'd managed to enchant him somehow. It was all very bewildering and trying to make sense of it was making him feel more and more exhausted. The semi darkness of the small cavern and the gentle candle light wasn't helping the Prince deny his body the rest it so desperately craved either. After a short time he gave up the struggle, allowing the soft warmth of sleep to overtake him.

* * *

><p>The next morning Arthur awoke alone and completely disoriented. He sat up in somewhat of a panic, examining his surroundings with wide eyes. The memory of what had happened returned to him in a rush, forcing him quickly to his feet.<p>

"Merlin!" He shouted into the cavern.

The Healer from last night, who had been seated just outside the entry, moved towards him speaking quiet words, which the Prince didn't hear at first.

"Where's Merlin? What have you done with him?" Arthur had grabbed the girl by her upper arms, and was speaking threateningly at her.

"He's fine, calm down! He's just outside with Weylyn." The girl stood confidently, returning the Prince's glare with her own. "He said you'd be like this. Go and have a look for yourself," she continued, lifting what she could of her left arm to gesture in the direction Arthur should go.

He continued his stare for another few moments, as if searching for a sign that she was lying to him, before abruptly releasing his grip of her and stalking back through into the main cavern. He paused only long enough to scan the area for his friend before he continued on outside into the bright sunlight.

The glare of the natural light was blinding after the candle-lit caves and Arthur found himself having to squint and give his eyes time to adjust before he could resume his search. The predominantly black vista before him was proof that the events of yesterday, although seeming much like the content of a fever induced nightmare, had been real.

Spying a flash of colour to his right, halfway up the hill, Arthur walked hurriedly in that direction. As he got a little closer he could make out Merlin and Weylyn standing side by side, talking animatedly while looking away down the valley through which the fire had devastated.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted to the pair, alerting them of his presence so that they turned to face him. "You shouldn't have snuck off without waking me first," he continued in a reprimanding voice.

"Sorry. But it's fine Arthur, really." Merlin looked back toward the druid apologetically.

"Young Prince, I trust you feel better after a nights rest. You both suffered quite an ordeal yesterday." Weylyn addressed Arthur.

"You've told him who we are then Merlin!" the Prince concluded, albeit incorrectly, as he pulled Merlin out of the Druid elder's earshot. "Do you really think that was wise? The druid's are staunch enemies of my father's! They could hold me to ransom or..."

Like the insolent man-servant he was, Merlin interrupted his Prince's ramblings.

"Arthur, they've already shown their intentions to help. They are a peaceful people. It is not their way to instigate trouble with Camelot. Think about it. Uther has ordered attacks on druids many times but when have they ever started the violence?"

Arthur could recall many instances of druid settlements being wiped out at his father's orders, including one of the first missions he had been allowed to command himself. The recollection of innocent children screaming in fear as they ran from the swords of his men and of countless unarmed adult druids being ruthlessly cut down at his order, haunted his dreams for months afterwards.

"Perhaps there is something in what you say Merlin, but we're a long way from home and we need to be on our guard." The Crown Prince continued in gentler tones. _Honestly, if he was half as trusting as his servant was, he would have been taken advantage of, and in all likelihood murdered, years ago._

"The druids are sending out groups to help any survivors and assess the scope of the damage." Merlin informed his Prince excitedly. "They have a network of Healers who will treat injured people and animals, and have stocks of food and other supplies they can distribute."

Arthur turned to the druid elder, frowning and squinting his eyes a little as he thought deeply about what he was hearing.

"That is very considerate of you. I'm sure many of my people need help and I thank you for your assistance."

Weylyn bowed his head in acknowledgement, "We will do what we can for druid and non druid alike."

"You understand that I cannot allow the use of magic in your administerings." Arthur continued, changing to the regal, officious tone his father used when addressing his court.

"Arthur!" Merlin gave the Prince a horrified look, stunned at how offensive he was being after the altruism bestowed upon them. _Bloody royal prat!_

Weylyn merely raised his eyebrows minutely, not surprised or upset by the judgmental words.

"Do not be disturbed on my account Em.. Merlin. The young Prince has much to learn regarding our ways. It is no fault of his own that his mind has been closed to magic before he has even seen how beneficent it can be."

Merlin had to stop himself from speaking out at that statement. Maybe Arthur hadn't 'seen' magic being used for good but he'd sure been the recipient of it on many occasions!

The druid leader began to walk slowly back to the cave, Merlin following promptly behind him. Arthur remained where he was for another minute absorbing Weylyn's words. He wasn't sure if he had been insulted or not. Surely it was straight forward; magic lead only to corruption and evil.

Arthur looked up from his musings to see Merlin beckoning eagerly for him to follow and took off at a rapid walk after the pair.

"Your young friend has already washed and eaten young Pendragon, now you should do the same. There is food prepared for all who require it inside," Weylyn addressed Arthur before striding over to a group of druids who were about to set off on a mission to provide help.

"Come on Arthur, you need to eat." Merlin urged. "You know how grumpy you are on an empty stomach!"

* * *

><p>The next day Merlin was up early again and spending most of his time with the ruid elder. Arthur had already decided that the most sensible thing to do would be to stay put for a few more days where they were safe and had a ready supply of water and food. There was nothing to be gained by wandering around a deadened landscape so they might as well wait till Camelot's patrols got into the area. Arthur was sure his father would have sent search parties out for him and sooner or later word would get to the patrols of his whereabouts. To Merlin's relief the Prince had formally asked the druids if they could ' enjoy their hospitality a little longer ' rather than just take advantage of them.<p>

Merlin was finding his time with the druids, more specifically Weylyn, a refreshing change from the secretive life he was forced to live in Camelot. Around the druid people there was no requirement to hide his magic or pretend he was anything other than his true self. Weylyn freely discussed his and Arthur's destiny with him and encouraged Merlin to explore his magic as much as he wished; as long as the Prince was not nearby of course. Merlin welcomed the opportunity to unburden himself of many of his worries and although the situation around them was catastrophic, Merlin felt more relaxed than he had for a long time.

Each morning Merlin awoke at dawn to walk with the druid elder in private. On the third morning they were staying in the caves, the two walked further than ever.

"The time has come to hasten the healing of the land Emrys," Weylyn announced as they reached a hilltop. "The Earth needed a few days to recover after the blaze but we must act now if wish to prevent those dependant upon the forest from starving."

"You mean with magic?" Merlin studied the older man beside him.

"I do young Warlock. How can we stand by and let innocents suffer when our special talents can be used to provide help?" Who knew how many people had been affected by the disaster, all of them completely innocent and desperate for any help they could get. It would be a cruel negligence not to assist surely?

Merlin had found himself in predicaments before where he'd had to decide whether to use his magic to intervene or to stand by and let someone suffer. When Gwen's father had contracted the Afanc induced plague and Merlin, unable to watch Gwen's misery, decided to heal him using magic, sprang to mind. Unforeseen events had meant Tom the blacksmith had died anyway, but Merlin was sure he had acted with the best possible intentions at the time.

Weylyn raised his right hand and uttered a spell. "_Biddan ofergrow wyr_." Around their feet, grass sprouted from the dead earth and new shoots appeared on what was left of the trees.

"This is a spell of renewal and regrowth. As the situation is so dire I will need to repeat it every few days so the plants grow large enough to feed those dependent on them."

"Won't that require a lot of energy on your behalf?" Merlin asked his new mentor.

Weylyn nodded. "For someone of my talents, yes it will." He then looked over at Emrys, his eyes filled with respect. "A Warlock of your power could cast a single spell that would stay active for weeks and affect much vaster areas of forest or farmland than I could ever manage."

Merlin searched Weylyn's face for confirmation that he was indeed asking him to help.

"Perhaps that is why you were sent to us at this time Emrys. The Earth and all the animal and human life dependent on it need your magic."

"I will do what I can of course," he answered, humbled by the request. "I have had no formal training though and often turn to books for assistance." Merlin continued, somewhat embarrassed at his confession.

"Do not worry, I will guide you." Weylyn had never had such a prodigious sorcerer to work beside, so was delighted to offer any help he could. To collaborate with the one who was destined to bring about the return of magic to the Kingdom was truly an honourable thing amongst his kin.

For the next 45 minutes Merlin tried out a few versions of the same spell Weylyn has used. He played around with where and how he would emphasize part of a word and added an extra element that would enhance the lifespan of his incantation. Apparently, it was not unusual that a sorcerer needed to adjust a spell to suit his/her own idiosyncrasies.

Merlin steadied himself then began, "_Biddan gefeolan forbgelaedan wyr_," his eyes flashed to gold then returned to their usual shade of blue. Weylyn could feel the pulse of magic as it left Merlin's raised right-hand and trace the raw power transmitted as it surged through the earth. The visible results were almost immediate and significantly farther reaching than his own spell had been. The amount of regrowth that occurred all around them in the next several minutes was equivalent to around two weeks of naturally paced growth. As long as they received a little more rain, the forest and farmlands should be productive again within 3 or 4 days.

"Incredible." The druid elder stammered to himself. He had seen many displays of magic by many individuals throughout the course of his life, but nothing approaching the magnitude of what he had just witnessed. Although he did not require any proof, Emrys' display made it clear that he was indeed the most powerful Warlock of all time, just as the prophecies had proclaimed.

The fire had destroyed so much territory that it took many repetitions of the incantation before a significant amount of the damage had been repaired. The output of energy was so great for Merlin, that after performing his spell only a handful of times, Weylyn recognized the signs of exhaustion within the young warlock and proposed a team effort instead. His idea was that while he carry out the incantation for re-growth, Merlin would add his magic to magnify and fortify the results. Their combined effort achieved almost as good a result as Merlin's solo spell, without completely depriving Merlin of his energy.

It was inevitable really that Arthur would come upon them just as they were completing one of these collaborative spell.

To Be Continued.

**A/N I would love your ideas of what Arthur will think.**  
><strong>The words in the spells used are Old English words. i trid to use a web translater to find words for growth, plants, beseech thee. Sorry if my pathetic skills in language translation have offended!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N Thank you to everyone who has read, story alerted and/or reviewed - the interest and lovely things said, make me feel great. This is the last chapter, so I hope it does not leave readers dissapointed.**

Bushfire chapter 5

"What evilness is going on here! I made it clear there was to be no magic! How dare you disobey me!" Arthur ranted as he came up behind his man servant and the Druid leader.

"Arthur!" Merlin spun around, his stomach dropping in horror.

"Merlin, go back to the cave and get our things together. We're leaving. Now!" Arthur yelled, manhandling Merlin away from Weylyn and propelling him in the direction of the cave system. He then turned back around to glare at Weylyn, pinning him in place with the coldness and disgust in his eyes. "You! You are breaking the law!" Arthur pointed threateningly in Weylyn's face.

"What? No Arthur, it's not what you think!" Merlin cried, leaping to Weylyn's defence.

"Stay out of this Merlin!"

"I will not! Look around you Arthur! Look what we've done using magic!" Merlin gestured around himself at the rapidly greening landscape. "How can this be evil?" he carried on frustratedly. "Arthur, think of the suffering this will prevent. Surely even you can see that a good thing has been done here?"

Merlin could not comprehend how his friend could be so overwhelmed by witnessing the use of magic that he couldn't actually see what had been achieved. The concept that this particular use of magic would be saving lives and stopping starvation amongst both people and animal populations alike, did not seem to have entered the Prince's consciousness.

"You've been trying to brain wash my man-servant too! Is there no limit to your effrontery!" The young Pendragon sneered aggressively at Weylyn.

Merlin's frustration and anger had built to an unbearable level. Why couldn't Arthur think for himself for once and take into consideration all the facts around him, instead of lashing out mindlessly like a younger version of his father.

"Stop it Arthur! It wasn't just Weylyn. I was performing magic too!"

Arthur continued to fume, his face reddening in anger, this time fixing Merlin with a withering look. "Don't be ridiculous Merlin. I can see you've formed some sort of dependency with this man, but your loyalties are misplaced. There is no need to cover up for his crime with lies!"

Before Merlin could vent his brewing emotions further, Weylyn intervened. They had spent a lot of time together during the past few days and the young Warlock had confided many of his fears to him in their discussions. These included the sheer magnitude of Arthur's hatred of magic, his fear that the heir to the throne of Camelot would never waver from this opinion and how he doubted he'd ever achieve his destiny if the 'other side of the coin' continued to dispel all magic users as corrupt beyond redemption. Weylyn sympathized with the one known as Emrys, but had faith that all these difficulties would be overcome when the time was right.

"Merlin, return to the caves as your master suggests. Now is not the moment for you to face this battle."

Merlin met the druid elders gaze for a few minutes then sighed heavily as he seemed to come to some sort of acceptance.

As he began to trudge back to the caves he supposed he should be happy that Arthur had assumed the druid had been the one conducting the magic and that he was just an innocent bystander. It certainly avoided a lot of unpleasant explanations. Conflictingly, he knew Arthur had to understand and accept magic if they were ever going to fulfil their ordained futures and how was that ever going to happen if he continued to lie, delude and be evasive whenever magic was used near the Prince?

The walk back to the caves was not pleasant for the warlock, as many difficult emotions swirled around in his head. It was exhausting to keep so many secrets, and even though he knew it was often for the good of Arthur and/or Camelot, every untruth he was forced to tell his Prince, felt like a betrayal. It made him feel physically ill when he thought about all the lies he'd had to tell and stories he'd invented. The pain of Arthur's rejection of all things magic, hurt Merlin deeply too. The Prince may as well have been telling **him** how much he hated **him** and how disgusting he thought **he** was, every time he declared his fervent dislike of magic.

It was times like this that Merlin despaired of ever completing his destiny. Gaius would know what to say to help him feel better, but he was 3 or 4 days of travel away!

* * *

><p>"Well, what have you to say for yourself?" Arthur began his one man interrogation squad.<p>

Weylyn spoke evenly and passively. "I have no shame in using sorcery to help those in need Princeling. I know your father believes all magic users to be evil but before you condemn my kind so quickly, please consider that that wasn't always the case."

Arthur was incredulous at this man. What did he know of the danger magic posed to his family and his home? "Do you have any idea how many deranged sorcerers have tried to kill my father or myself? How many has been hell bent on destroying everything he stands for? All of them are corrupt to the core." Arthur retorted furiously.

"In a way Arthur, your father brought this hatred and need for vengeance, down upon himself." Weylyn was sorry to have to tell Arthur that his father was the perpetrator of his own misery, but it was true.

"What do you mean old man? What do you know of my father's past?" Arthur almost spat. _The impudence of the druid was galling._

"Many years ago, before you were born, magic was used freely across the 5 kingdoms. Your father had sorcerers as friends and employed others to help him rule Camelot. Then, in a desperate situation Uther made a poorly considered request to a Sorceress he trusted. She did as he asked using her powerful magic but Uther had not foreseen the full implications of his request. The tragedy that resulted caused him crippling grief and he lashed out by blaming all magic users. Thus began The Great Purge." Weylyn explained in hushed, reverent tones.

"What was this dire situation you speak of?"

Weylyn shook his head, "I will not elaborate upon that matter as it is not my place to do so."

He was greatly saddened to realize that Uther had kept the circumstances of his birth and his mother's death from him. In his experience secrets between father and son always came out in the end, causing undue pain and regret.

"However, it is my place to show you that magic can be harnessed for benevolent means if the wielder of the power so wishes. Your young companion is more remarkable than you give him credit for Sire. He spoke the truth when he said our use of magic today was going to prevent much suffering." Weylyn paused to give Arthur time to absorb his words which he knew were adverse to all he had previously heard on the topic. "My kind regard you highly young Pendragon and I am confident you will do the right thing for your people. Surely you can see that that is what I have commenced doing with these enchantments for healing and re-growth."

Arthur's frown and his stiffened posture reflected the turmoil going on inside his head. He had never considered magic as anything but malicious before, but the evidence in front of him suggested maybe the druid spoke the truth. The shear acreage of forest and farmland burnt out had left him extremely concerned about how the peasants and farmers were to survive- those who hadn't perished in the blaze already that is. He knew Camelot would contribute supplies for as long as possible, but they could not support the great numbers affected for long.

As he gazed around at the greening landscape, running a hand through his hair in confusion, he was astounded at the power it must require to achieve the changes occurring. Already the pasture coverage on the grassy plateau before him was probably greater than it had been before the flames; the prolonged dry weather had left most fields barren. The forest land beyond was sprinkled with numerous thick green shoots which would soon attract insects, which in turn attracted birds and other small animals. Arthur could see in his mind's eye the circle of life returning to the land, something of which he had pretty much taken for granted before now.

Indecision overtook his normally strong conviction. How could he order this Druid to cease his magic if it was going to cause his people further harm to do so? He knew what his father's stance would be; execute the sorcerers so they cannot spread their vileness across the land. Any casualties of his inflexible attitude would be considered unfortunate but necessary.

Arthur sighed heavily at the difficult situation before him. He had already clashed with his father numerous times this year and he was coming to the conclusion that he would again, over the choice he was going to make today.

Inhaling deeply, the Crown Prince of Camelot drew himself to his full height and addressed Weylyn as an equal, "Despite my views upon magic I cannot find it in myself to stop you from what you are doing here. My father would not agree with me so I ask you be discreet about what has been discussed between us."

"You show great maturity and humility Prince Arthur, qualities which will see you become the fair and just King you are destined to be."

"Yes, right," Arthur replied cautiously, not sure what Weylyn was on about but accepting his words, as had come to respect the older man's wisdom and attitude.

"However, my man-servant and I will leave here today. I do not wish to be a witness to further occurrences of sorcery, no matter what they should bring. I would also advise you to refrain from any acts of magic if other representatives of Camelot should pass by. If word gets back to my father of your 'activities', he will order your capture and execution."

"I understand Sire", the druid bowed his head fractionally in acknowledgement, as Arthur turned and stalked back to the caves to collect Merlin.

* * *

><p>It took a few hours of walking after their departure from the druid encampment until Merlin had finally calmed down enough to speak in an appropriate way to his Prince and 'master'.<p>

"Are you going to tell me what happened back there Arthur?" Merlin feared the worst: that Arthur had forbidden Weylyn from any further use of magic and had vowed to send a patrol to drag him back to Camelot where he would be tried for sorcery, as soon as possible.

"Merlin you need to forget anything illegal you witnessed the druid doing." Arthur began hesitantly.

"You mean the magic? Why can't you even say the word!" Merlin replied accusingly.

"I know this is difficult, but I have seen more magic than you Merlin. I know what I'm doing."

Merlin stifled a guphaw. _You've got to be joking!_

"Would you really let people suffer because of your own narrow minded attitude?"

It was not Merlin's way to impose his ideas on others, but Arthur really needed a wake up if he was prepared to do this.

"Merlin, must I remind you that I am your Prince and you cannot speak to me like that!" Arthur self-righteously declared, then lowering his voice till it was almost conciliatory he continued, "And you can stop glaring daggers at me because I have decided to turn a blind eye to Weylyn's dubious activities."

Merlin mouth fell open in shock. "Oh."

"Not that I need to explain my actions to you Merlin, but despite my father's teachings, I believe to stop what the druid was doing would have been tantamount to condemning countless innocent people to more suffering."

Merlin could not contain the pride he felt in Arthur for coming to that decision. He appreciated all the mental obstacles that he would have had to overcome to reach this point. Even the most open minded of people would be hard pressed not to be suspicious of magic users if they had been attacked by sorcery as many times as Arthur had. A life-time of beliefs could not be put aside easily.

Merlin's face lit up in a wide smile as he absorbed the ramifications of Arthur's decision. If he could accept that magic was not intrinsically evil and think beyond what Uther had always preached, maybe one day, there would come a time when Arthur could stretch his beliefs even further. Maybe even as far as accepting that his servant / closest friend had magic?

"Why are you smiling like a common lunatic Merlin? This is deadly serious stuff." Arthur admonished in his superior way, although if you knew him, you'd be able to detect the undercurrent of familiarity underneath all the bluster.

"No reason Sire. I just never thought I'd see the day." Merlin couldn't get the grin off his face. He wondered how on Earth Weylyn had managed to get through to him.

Arthur looked Merlin straight in the eye, drawing his friend into his confidence, "Nobody can know what has happened here Merlin. If what I have done gets back to the King..."

"I understand Arthur." Merlin interrupted before the Prince could complete his description. "You have my word of honour."

The minutest of smiles flickered up one side of the Prince's mouth as he replied, "Thank you Merlin." Arthur knew beyond shadow of a doubt that he could trust Merlin's word and although he did have a tendency to babble on far too much at times, he knew the younger man would keep the events of today to himself.

* * *

><p>Early the next day, a group of five knights came upon the bedraggled pair, and returned them both to Camelot as hastily as possible. The only person to ever hear the truth of what had occurred was Gaius, but as Merlin had not been privy to the conversation between Arthur and Weylyn, even he did not hear the full story.<p>

In the days following their return, Arthur braced himself for reports from returning patrols about unnatural growth occurring in the burnt out areas. He knew any such story would lead to some awkward questions for himself and definitely send his father off on another campaign of righteousness. As the days went by and it became obvious no such reports were going to be delivered, Arthur was both relieved and bemused. He wasn't sure if his soldiers were just remarkably unobservant or if they were covering things up for same reasons he did.

Although he tried to many times, Arthur could never bring himself to talk to his father about the time when magic was legal in Camelot and what the desperate situation was that Weylyn had referred to. Ever since he was a small child, Uther had made it very clear that speaking of the time prior to The Great Purge was not done. Clearly, it was far too painful to recollect and Arthur respected his father's need to keep emotions associated with this time, firmly suppressed.

He was not, as yet, able to form the link between the vigorousness of Uther's commitment to the eradication of magic, and the events leading to the guilt that had triggered this reaction.

The moment when Arthur learned all the details of his birth and Ygraine's death, was a whole other story.

The End.

**A/N Well, sorry if you waned a reveal fic, but i just can't quite get that far in my thoughts yet.  
>I feel the need to help Merlin along in his destiny, in this case by getting Arthur to see and confront magic being a good thing. I don't like it when he seems to work so hard and give his all, but gets no closer to being acceped for what he truly is.<br>****I** **was going to end it with a cheesy litle scene betwen Gaius and Merlin over dinner, but too much of the stuff at the end involved Arthur's inner thoughts so couldn't quite work it in.**

**Thank-you for reading, and I hope it was enjoyable and made you think. **


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